1. Technical Field
This invention relates to ice storage receptacles and in particular to means for swingably mounting ice storage receptacles for self-biased movement to an access position when a closure door of the refrigeration apparatus is opened.
2. Background Art
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,095,439 of William John Linstromberg, which patent is owned by the assignee hereof, an improved movable ice receptacle support means is disclosed. As seen therein, the receptacle is carried on a support which is swingably mounted by a front pair of links and a rear pair of links. The system is arranged to be swung rearwardly and upwardly by the closing of the freezer door and permits the receptacle to swing downwardly into an ice access position as a result of the opening of a small access door in the main freezer door. The gravity biasing of the system causes the receptacle to be biased against the closure door in the retracted position with both doors of the apparatus closed. Each of the pairs of pivotal links swingably mounting the carrier includes an upper end portion pivotally mounted to the cabinet above the receptacle, and a lower end portion pivotally mounted to the carrier at the bottom of the receptacle.
In U.S. Pat. No. 1,529,032, Charles F. Meisner et al show an ice container holder for refrigerators and the like. The receptacle is carried on a pair of links which swing over center in moving from a retracted position within the cabinet to an access position forwardly of the cabinet. The receptacle is biased against a rear stop on the rear wall of the cabinet in the retracted position within the cabinet.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,674,511, Charles G. Minor shows a refrigerator having a tiltable compartment. A pair of coil springs are provided on a pair of rods to bias the unit towards the closed position.
Donald E. Hilliker et al, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,643,464, show a refrigeration unit having an ice access door wherein the receptacle is connected to the ice access door by a suitable mechanism to draw the receptacle outwardly as an incident of swinging of the door to an open position and to return the receptacle to the storage position when the door is swung to the closed position.